Across Time and Space
by AnimationNut
Summary: Through time and space, there is one relationship that surpasses all others. Ben and Azmuth, though they often argue, cannot really exist without the other. Fate has brought them together, and together they will stay. Written in honour of Ben 10's tenth anniversary.


**I do not own the Ben Ten franchise.**

 **Written in celebration of the tenth anniversary of Ben 10. Here's too many more years of Ben Tennyson and the Omnitrix crew!**

 **Happy tenth, everyone!**

 **Across Time and Space**

Fate was an interesting, complicated force, if one was willing to believe the theory. Azmuth, the First Thinker of the Galvans, did not believe one's destiny was marked out in life. He believed you had to work for what you wanted and carve your own path. Ben Tennyson, the human wielder of Azmuth's greatest invention, believed differently. He didn't necessarily think that every little aspect of his life was predetermined, but he did think the important, defining moments of his existence were meant to happen.

Such as his acquisition of the Omnitrix, for example.

It was interesting, that two polar opposites would happen to have the most important relationship throughout time and space.

In fact, some might just call it fate…

…

Ten-year-old Ben Tennyson was laid up in bed, his joints searing with agony. He couldn't move without agitating his bruises and injuries, so he was forced to stare at the ceiling. "Stupid Vilgax," he grumbled to himself, highly frustrated and annoyed. It was because of his archenemy that he was in such a sorry state. It hadn't been easy to explain his condition to his parents, but they eventually bought his 'bike accident' story.

But his grandfather, of course, knew the true story, and as such had forbidden Ben from using his Omnitrix for a full month. He insisted that his grandson take a break for a while so that he could properly rest and recover.

 _Ugh. This sucks._ Ben pouted up at his white ceiling, trying to ignore the prickles of discomfort shooting through his body. _Next time I see Vilgax, he is_ so _done for._

He was distracted from his moody thoughts by a familiar glow of green light, which he spotted out of the corner of his eye. "Azmuth?" he asked incredulously, slowly moving his head so he could look at the Galvan properly.

Seeing the pained grimace on the boy's face at the small movement, Azmuth felt a flare of guilt. "Stay still," he instructed.

"Nah, I got it," said Ben stubbornly. He managed to adjust his position so that he had a clear view of his mentor, who stood on his bedside table. He grinned. "Hey. What's up?"

Azmuth studied the boy, feeling the guilt grow at the sight of the dark abrasions and thin red cuts on the pale flesh. "How are you feeling?"

"Eh, I've been better. But I'll live," replied Ben. He smirked. "Did you come to check up on me?"

Shifting his eyes slightly to the side, Azmuth gave a stiff nod. "Your grandfather told me what happened."

The humour faded from Ben's gaze and he regarded the Galvan intently, who could not seem to meet his gaze, which was completely out of character. "Is everything okay?" he asked in concern.

Azmuth could not help but snap his obsidian eyes back to the boy, filled with incredulity. " _You're_ asking _me_ if I'm okay?"

"Yeah," replied Ben. "You seem a little weird today. You don't normally pop by randomly-that's my thing."

Azmuth pursed his lips together, wondering for the umpteenth time how a child Earthling could read him when most others couldn't. "You wouldn't be in this condition," he finally spoke, "if you did not have the Omnitrix."

It took a moment for Ben to catch the underlying meaning of his mentor's words. It was true he wouldn't get hurt if he wasn't wearing the Omnitrix, and he wouldn't have the Omnitrix in the first place if Azmuth had taken it away the second he realized where it had ended up.

Azmuth was feeling guilty because he had gotten hurt because of the Omnitrix.

Ben burst into laughter, so loud that it startled the both of them. He hastily quieted as to not alert his parents and couldn't stop the wide, amused grin from curling across his face. "Dude, it's not yourfault. Vilgax was the one body-checking me into the buildings, not you."

"He wouldn't be after you in the first place if you didn't have the Omnitrix," said Azmuth roughly, hardly able to see what the child found so funny about the situation. "He could have killed you."

"But he didn't," returned Ben easily, hardly fazed by his near-death experience. He'd had enough of them, after all, and his daily dangerous battles had significantly cooled his worries for his own mortality. "Grandpa and Gwen wouldn't have let him, anyway. I'm fine."

"You can't even move without feeling pain."

"Well…other than that I'm fine."

Azmuth stared at the child, who had an easy smile on his black-and-blue face and seemed to be in high spirits. He let out a soft sigh and folded his arms in front of him. "I suppose I should take your word for it."

"You should. Seriously, it's not your fault. Next time I see Vilgax I'm gonna kick his butt."

Azmuth could not stop the slight smile from crossing his face. "I'm sure you will." He reached into the pocket of his emerald green and black robe and removed a container filled with a clear blue ointment. "This will help with the abrasions. They'll clear up after a day."

"Oh good, I'm sick and tired of doing nothing but lying in bed all day." Ben took the Galvan-sized container and squinted at it. "Guess I'll have to use Grey Matter to put it on."

"I thought your grandfather told you not to use the Omnitrix," said Azmuth pointedly.

Ben's eyes danced with mischief. "He doesn't have to know, does he?"

And Azmuth knew that his wielder was truly alright, and the last lingering shreds of guilt vanished. Yes, he did give the most sought-after device in the galaxy to a ten-year-old Earthling, but he was suddenly hard-pressed to think of anyone else more fit for it.

…

Feet feeling like they were being weighed down by rocks, the almost twelve-year-old Ben trudged his way towards Galvan Tower, fiddling with his Omnitrix as he went.

 _It's going to be fine,_ he thought, trying to calm himself down. _He may actually be happy about this...or disappointed._

Which was worse than anger, as far as he was concerned, but he supposed he'd rather face disappointment than anger.

He reached the doors leading into Galvan Tower and took a deep breath. He had called Myaxx and informed her of his arrival, so the glass security doors parted for him when he placed his thumb on the security pad. He shuffled through the doors, nodded at the Galvans who greeted him and stepped into the elevator tube.

Ben stepped off when the platform reached Azmuth's lab and found his mentor standing at one of his lab tables, tinkering with a piece of computer hard drive. "Um…hi," he spoke, alerting the Galvan to his presence.

Azmuth lifted his head and once he processed who exactly was disturbing his work he scowled. "For someone who lives on a planet lightyears away, it's almost astonishing how often you arrive unannounced."

"Sorry, but I figured if I called and asked if I could come over there was a good chance you would say no. I kind of need to talk to you."

There was a serious air about the child, and it was a bit unsettling to see him without his usual laidback grin. Azmuth could see that whatever the reason was for Ben's visit, it was obviously important. With a soft sigh, he set down his work and turned to face the child.

"Out with it."

Ben squared his shoulders, and there was brief flash of confliction in his emerald gaze before they hardened with resolve. "This is probably a random, drastic request, but I want to take the Omnitrix off."

Azmuth's brow rose, but he otherwise did not give a reaction. Ben realized how blunt he must have sounded and said hastily, "It's not that I'm giving up or anything. I love the Omnitrix, I love my aliens and I love saving the world. I love what the Omnitrix has allowed me to do. I don't regret finding the watch or being Ben 10. It's just…"

When the boy struggled to find his next words, Azmuth spoke, "You want to live a normal life."

Emerald eyes widening, Ben nodded. "Yeah! How'd you know?"

"I figured this would happen, sooner or later," he responded. "Despite your feelings about the Omnitrix, you are still a child. It's natural for you to reach a point where you want to live your life like any other Earth juvenile. I also know this was not a decision that came easily for you."

"It really wasn't," agreed Ben, rubbing the back of his neck. "And in some ways, I'm still not sure. But I see my friends hanging out with each other, hanging out with their families, playing sports and just goofing around. I can't really do that, not as much as I should be able to, anyway. I have to drop everything the second an alien attack happens, and it's kind of hard." He looked at Azmuth with a hesitant expression. "Are you disappointed?"

"Disappointed in you for coming forwards with this life-changing decision, one that you made entirely on your own? No. I'm not. It took a lot of courage and insight for you to decide what you want in life, especially since you are eleven."

He gave his fingers a snap and the Omnitrix snapped off immediately. Ben bent down and cautiously picked it up, studying it. It was the first time since he found it that it was off of his wrist, and it was fitting that the one who made it was the only one who could remove it, thus setting forth the next stage of his life.

"I am going to miss it," he said softly. "I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do without it."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," replied Azmuth. "You did spend a decade without it. You'll merely readjust to a normal lifestyle. And I wouldn't worry about alien attacks. The Plumbers are more than capable of taking care of such matters."

"Yeah." Ben ran his thumb over the face of the Omnitrix, feeling a rush of emotions. He never thought he'd ever get so sentimental over an object. "Here." He extended it towards his creator. "Thank you. For everything."

Azmuth stared at it for a moment. He probably should take it. It would be safer in his possession, at least. But he knew he couldn't, for though he was the one who invented it, it really did belong to Ben. "No. It belongs with you. Keep it somewhere safe. You never know when you might need it."

Beaming, Ben held the Omnitrix close to his chest. "Thanks! I'll take good care of it."

"I have no doubt you will." Azmuth removed his teleportation remote and typed in Ben's home coordinates. "I will send you home."

"Will we see each other again?" ventured Ben hesitantly. Now that he was no longer wearing the Omnitrix, he feared that Azmuth would no longer want to be in contact with him.

Azmuth tilted his head to the side, and he managed to keep the affectionate smile off of his face. "I think, Ben Tennyson, that you'll be seeing me sooner than you might expect."

Ben smiled mischievously. "Is it written in fate, then?" he teased, referencing their recurrent debates on the existence of fate and destiny.

Azmuth shot him a withering look. "You know, a vacation from you might be exactly what I need. Goodbye, Ben."

 _Until we meet again,_ he added silently.

And they both hoped it would be soon.

…

Azmuth was in critical condition.

He was bleeding internally, he had a few fractured limbs and was lying in a coma. Ben sat limply on the floor of the corridor outside of Azmuth's ward in Galvan's Medical Center. His eyes were lifeless and he was pale, and he was in the most fear he had ever been in his whole life. There was a chance Azmuth wouldn't make it, and that thought chilled sixteen-year-old Ben to the very core.

 _I'll kill him. If Azmuth dies, I'm going after Albedo's head._

The savage thought was against everything Azmuth had ever taught him, but at the moment he didn't care. There were few people he would kill for, and Azmuth was one of them.

 _Please don't die…please._

"Hey."

Stirred from his bleak thoughts, he slowly lifted his eyes. "What?" he asked hoarsely.

Myaxx knelt down and set a strong hand on the teen's shoulder. "He's going to be fine," she said confidently.

"How do you know?" asked Ben desperately.

"Because he's the most stubborn, hard-headed and resilient alien in the whole galaxy. He's definitely not going to let Albedo get the better of him. You and him are more alike than you probably want to acknowledge."

Ben smiled weakly at this. "Probably."

"Your cousin called earlier. She wants you to call her back when you're ready for it."

"Okay. Thanks."

"You really should eat something."

"I will. Later."

"I'll see to it," warned Myaxx. She walked down the corridor, and glanced back at the teen, who was sitting rigidly outside of Azmuth's room, like a loyal bodyguard. She too was worried for the wellbeing of her employer, but not as much as Ben was fretting. And after the call she received from Gwen earlier that day, she understood why.

" _Of course he's worried and terrified,"_ Gwen had said in fond exasperation and slight concern. _"More so than anyone else. There's only two people he's ever held up on a pedestal. For the longest time, Grandpa Max was the only one. But the moment he met Azmuth, the second pedestal rose up, just as high. He's not going anywhere until he's positive Azmuth is going to be fine. It's just how he is."_

Letting out a long sigh, Myaxx continued on her way. It wouldn't do if work was left incomplete when Azmuth woke up. He would have a fit, and that probably wouldn't be the best for his condition.

It was two days later, in the dark of the night, when Azmuth finally awoke. With a soft grunt of pain, he blearily took in his surroundings before everything slowly came into clarity. A Galvan nurse spotted his movement and let out an exclamation of relief. "Sir!"

"Get me out of here," he croaked irritably, pulling at the tubes hooked up to his body.

"Sir, you need to stay here for a little bit longer," said the nurse patiently. "We have to monitor the status of your internal bleeding."

"Damn Albedo," growled Azmuth, sinking back into his pillows and closing his eyes. "Where is he?"

"In the Plumbers jail," she answered, checking his vital signs. "Ben Tennyson put him there before coming back here."

Obsidian eyes snapped open. "Ben Tennyson is _here_?"

"For the past four days," she confirmed. "Hasn't left the Medical Center."

"Bring him here."

Nodding, the nurse finished up her inspection and, satisfied that her patient would be fine, went to retrieve the teen. Ben stumbled in a minute later, and at the sight of his mentor alive, burst into tears.

Azmuth let out a soft sigh. He slowly sat up, ignoring the pain shooting through his body. "Tennyson, you are exasperating."

"I'm sorry." Trembling with relief and emotion, Ben hastily scrubbed away his tears as he sunk down to the floor, sitting cross-legged by Azmuth's hospital bed. "I should have gotten to you sooner."

"Don't be stupid. You could have hardly known what Albedo had planned. You stopped him, and saved me in the process. I'm very grateful for that."

"No problem." Ben gave a watery smile. "I'm really glad you're okay."

"As am I." Azmuth inspected the teen closely, and could tell that it had been a rough four days. "You really should learn to take better care of yourself."

"Shut up, I was really scared." He looked at his mentor with damp emerald eyes. "You can't die, okay? You have to at least outlive me."

"That's a very selfish thing to ask."

"I know. But I don't know what I'd do without you," whispered Ben.

"I suppose I can try my best, so long as you try _your_ best to live for another century."

"It's been done before," said Ben with a laugh. "I'll give it everything I can."

"Then it's a deal. Now go home."

"No." Ben curled his knees up and hugged them to his chest. "I'm gonna stay to make sure you don't give the nurses any trouble and do what your told."

"Insolent brat." Azmuth rested back against his pillows and looked at the teen with a soft expression. "Fine, but go eat something. I can hear your growling stomach through the ringing in my eyes."

Unable to deny that, Ben carefully got to his feet. "Fine. But you better behave until I get back."

"Get out, Tennyson."

Grinning, Ben left the ward, feeling significantly better now that he was assured that Azmuth would live. Because as far as he was concerned, there was no Ben 10 without the creator of the Omnitrix.

…

Sitting in a wooden rocking chair, thirty-two-year-old Ben cradled his infant son close to his chest. His wife was currently getting her well-deserved rest, leaving Ken in his care.

"Hey, buddy," he whispered, tickling Ken's stomach lightly with his fingers.

Ken cooed softly, bright green eyes roaming around inquisitively. His tiny hand reached out to try and grab Ben's right Omnitrix wristlet. Ben laughed and held his arm just out of reach. "I don't think so. You're about a decade too young for this."

Ken's face scrunched up, but before he could start wailing a flash of green light caught his attention. Eyes wide, the baby stared at the alien who appeared with what could only be described as pure awe.

Azmuth stared at the infant in Ben's arms. "Wonderful. Another you."

Ben frowned. "I invite you to see my newborn son and _that's_ the first thing you say?"

"Are you surprised?"

"No," he grumbled.

Azmuth hopped from the side table and balanced on the arm of the rocking chair. He studied the baby, who continued to stare at him with a slightly open mouth. "He's quiet," observed Azmuth, reaching out and lightly brushing his knuckles against Ken's small foot. He giggled and Azmuth smiled. "Completely unlike you."

"His foot is pretty much the entire size of you," snickered Ben. He promptly shut up when Azmuth jumped up and cuffed him around the head. _"Ouch!"_

Ken laughed, waving his fists in the air. Azmuth smirked. "I think he wants me to do it again."

"Don't," snapped Ben, moodily rubbing the back of his head. "You're so mean."

"How's Kai?"

"Good. She's resting right now."

Ken whimpered softly, hands straining to reach the Galvan standing out of his reach. Azmuth extended a finger and the baby gleefully latched onto it with surprising gentleness. Ben pouted. "Why are you never this nice to me?" he whined.

His mentor rolled his eyes. "Because he didn't make a bad first impression."

"Oh, give me break. Twenty-two years later and you're still on me about that." Ben stared down at the contented face of his son and he smiled tenderly. "He likes you."

Azmuth raised his brow. "You can tell?"

"Yup. But he'll soon realize how impossible you are, I'm sure."

"Probably at the same time he realizes how annoying his father is," retorted Azmuth. He looked down at the child and added, "But though he might also turn out to be insufferable, he'll have an Omnitrix of his own one day."

Ben stared at the Galvan in surprise. "Seriously? I mean, I was hoping to pass it on, but I wasn't sure if you would go for it."

"Well, you didn't such a bad job. I'm sure Ken will do better." Azmuth glanced up at Ben with a sincere smile. "You've impressed me just as much as you've infuriated me over the years, Ben. It's because of you that the Omnitrix and all of its successors will be passed down through the Tennyson line. I'm proud of you, and what you've accomplished with the Omnitrix."

Ben's emerald eyes went misty as a surge of emotion went through him at the simple, but powerful compliment. Azmuth was not liberal with his praises, and never before had he explicitly stated his pride in his wielder.

"Since when do you get all sentimental," he asked gruffly, scrubbing at his eyes. "That's normally my job, when I feel like it."

"We're old, you have a son, and I'm sure by next week we'll get into an argument that'll make us both furious with the other. Now's a good a time as any to say what I've always felt. Remember it, because I don't plan on saying it again anytime soon."

"Then I guess it's my turn. Thank you, for letting me keep the Omnitrix all those years ago. I don't think I'd be half the man I am today if it wasn't for you."

"Probably not," agreed Azmuth, and he smirked at the annoyed look Ben sent him.

"So humble," he quipped.

Azmuth shook his head and glanced down at Ken, who was now sleeping soundly in Ben's arms. "I look forward to forging a relationship with this young one. Perhaps I can eliminate some of your more negative qualities in the process."

"He's going to be calling you Uncle Azmuth."

"Over your dead body."

"The second he starts talking, I'm giving him your number."

"I'll kill you."

"I so hope he turns out to be like me. Then you get to deal with raising another wielder just like your first one. It'll be sweet irony. In fact," continued Ben with a wide grin, "it just might be fate."

Azmuth narrowed his obsidian eyes. "Or merely an unfortunate coincidence."

"Whatever you say, Azmuth. Whatever you say."

…

Throughout time and space, there was one relationship that thrived over any other. It was between an Earthling and a Galvan, two beings with conflicting ideals and beliefs but similar personalities. It was not just fate that the two meet, it was destiny, and both were much better off for it.

For decades, it was always the wielder and the creator, the student and the mentor.

The boy and the Galvan.


End file.
